Sept. 13 – Junior Bridgeman, who played 12 NBA seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, is acquiring 10% ownership of the team, several media reported Thursday after 10 seasons.
Bridgeman, who turns 71 on Tuesday, will reportedly buy the stake at a valuation of $3.4 billion.
Dee Haslam and Jimmy Haslam purchased a quarter of the Bucks at a $3.2 billion valuation in 2023. The average price of an NBA team is $4 billion, according to Sportico.
Bridgeman was the Los Angeles Lakers’ first-round pick (No. 8 overall) in the 1975 draft, and less than three weeks later, Brees was acquired in the massive deal for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Bridgeman began buying Wendy’s franchises during his career and eventually became the owner of 360 Wendy’s and Chili’s restaurants in his retirement. In 2016, he sold them and took over the Coca-Cola bottling franchise. Bridgeman is the sole owner of the bottle and earns at least $350 million annually, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Bridgman acquired Ebony and Jet magazines in 2020 and owns Coca-Cola Bottling of Canada, which he merged with Larry Wong, president of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, in 2018, which Larry Tannenbaum jointly acquired.
CNBC first reported Bridgeman’s trade with the Bucks.
Bridgeman was an outstanding sixth man during his NBA career, averaging 13.6 points and 3.5 rebounds in 849 games (52 starts) with the Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers.
Dave Meyers, Elmore Smith, and Brian Winters also joined Bridgeman in the trade for Abdul-Jabbar and Walter Wesley.
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